1. Page 1 – Mason Center for Energy Science and Policy – March 2016
Center for Energy Science and Policy (CESP)
George Mason University
http://cesp.gmu.edu
Recognizingthecentralroleof scienceandpolicyinaddressingcriticalenergychallenges, GeorgeMasonUniversity
establishedtheCenter for Energy ScienceandPolicy(CESP) jointlybetweenthe SchoolofPolicy, Governmentand
InternationalAffairs (SPGIA) and the CollegeofScience(COS).CESPhas the leadershiptomakethe Center a core
institutionfor scholarship,educationandtrainingonenergyscienceandpolicy.Its focuson global,nationalandlocal
(especiallytheCommonwealthofVirginia)dimensionsofthe energyissue, includingperspectivesonsustainability,
willenableGMUtoengagethe scientific community,the private sector,the public sector,policymakers,and,of
course,students.
We believe that the thoughtful analysisand integrationof scienceandpolicywillbeessentialto solutionsthat meet
local,state, federaland internationalneeds–whetherin minimizingwaterdemands,enhancingefficiency,exploring
technological andenergypolicyalternativesor addressingclimatechangeissues.Thisrequiresbringingtogetherall
interestedparties andstakeholdersto encourage dialogue,identifyconstraintsandopportunitiesfor collaboration,
shareinformationandbuildtrust. US leadershiponenergyscienceandpolicyrequiresbipartisanactionandstrong,
confident,principle-basedleadership.GeorgeMason,withits tradition of innovationandvision for the future,
provides an effective partnerin CESP for advancinganenergy-basedagendafocusedonacademic andexecutive
educationprogramsandmeaningfulresearch.CESPwillexcelat producingideasandequippingyoungandrising
leadersfor the energychallengesofthe 21st centuryandbeyond.
CESP Vision, Mission and Themes
CESP’s vision is to lead innovationsforenergysecurity,sustainabilityand resilience.Thisincludesexploring
energy’s criticalnexuseswith health,water, climate,food,transportation,nationalsecurity, andconflictresolution,.
ResearchonthesemultidisciplinaryrelationshipsiswhereMasonhasworldclassexpertise.Thefoundational
elementinthe vision is translatinginnovationsin energyscienceinto policyrecommendations,requiring
integratedscience-policystudiesto ensurerealistic anddesirableenergypolicyoutcomes.
CESP’s mission isto build avibrantinterdisciplinaryenergyscienceandpolicyhub atGeorgeMason that
develops integrativeapplied scienceandpolicysolutionsfortheenergysecurity,sustainabilityand
resiliencechallengesofVirginia and beyond.CESPwillmakeextensive use of high-performancecomputer
simulationandvisualization,hands-onlaboratory-intensive researchstudies,in-depthqualitativestudies, statistical
andeconomicanalyses,comparativeanalysesof politicsandgovernanceandinnovativeeducationalopportunities.
CESP willdevelop multidisciplinaryapproachestoanalyzing energyissues, innovative solutionsto currentenergy
policyproblems,andeducational programsthatbuildknowledgeandcollaborationonenergysecurity, sustainability
andresiliencechallenges.CESPwillactas a facilitatorto coordinateefforts to obtaingrants andprojects,particularly
those focusedonmultidisciplinaryapproachestoenergyscienceandpolicy,andfoster facultyandstudent
engagementindevelopingauniqueMasonenergyidentity.
CESP is organizingits activities along threecentral themes:
● Supply:Innovationsfor energysupplysecurity, transitionsandsustainabilityto ensurea vibrant economic
andenvironmentalfuture.
● Demand:Innovationsfor energy demandefficiencyandconservationtoproduceasmart andresilient
energysociety.
● Connected Systems:Innovationsfor connectedenergysystemsand policiestonurtureenergyresilience
anda future smartenergysociety.

2. Page 2 – Mason Center for Energy Science and Policy – March 2016
CESP Actions
CESP is taking decisiveactiontowardsits vision andmission.Thisinvolves: coordination withenergyscienceand
policyresearchorganizationsto developfundraisingopportunitiesandsecureresourcesforCESP activities.
Consultation forprivate sectorpartnersin applyingcutting-edgescientificresearchandpolicyapproachesto
operationalenergychallenges.Collaboration topromotemulti-disciplinarystudiesacrossMason’scampuses,as
wellas regionalandinternational partnerships inenergyscienceandpolicyinnovation.Organization oftargeted
workshopsto enhancecooperation,generatepolicyrecommendations andvisibility. Educationthatintegrates
researchwitheducational activities,includingexecutiveeducation.And cooperation focusingonenergysecurity,
sustainabilityand resiliencetopicsalignedwithCESP’sthemesof supply, demandandconnections/systems.
In support of these broadactions,CESP has identifiedthefollowingnear-term goals:
● Establishroutine energysecurityassessments forVirginiaandbeyond, includingassessmentofthe
VirginiaEnergy Plan.
● Organizesymposia ongridsecurity,localenergyand sustainabilitypractices,energysystem transitions,
andthe energy-water securitynexus.
● Training,educating,work-forcedevelopment,expertisedevelopment bydevelopingintra-
college/school academicprograms,includingcertificateandspecific “energyscienceandpolicy”.
● EstablishCESP as a centerfor energyscienceandpolicycollaboration,team building,andproblem solving.
● Use newand traditionalmediatoshowhowthe Centeris advancingMason’sprimaryrolein energyscience
andpolicy.
Support CESP
CESP is a university-wide centerthat is leadinginnovationsfor energysecurity, sustainabilityandresilience.The
Centerwill translateinnovationsin energyscienceandsecurityintopolicyrecommendations.CESPprovides a
uniqueforum whereacademiciansandpublic/privateenergysector professionalscaninteractandimprove
transparencyacrossthesegroups that are often isolatedfrom eachother. CESP’scombinationofcredible
capabilitiesinscienceandpolicywillenableitto plan,executeandsustainthis program.Mason’sexistingcore
coursesinthe environmentandclimatechange,energypolicymakingandthegeopoliticsofenergysecurityhave
createdbroaderinterestin energyissuesamongexistingandpotentialstudents as wellas potentialoutsideclients
suchas the Departmentsof Energy, State, and Defense,andmajorconsultingandinternational energycompanies.
Supporters’giftswill sponsorfora,graduateresearchfellows,educational initiatives,and dynamic
leadership towardsbuildinga vibrantenergyscienceandpolicyhubthat develops integrativesolutionsfor the
energysecurity, sustainabilityandresiliencechallengesofVirginiaandbeyond. An endowmentof$20,000or more
towarda researchfellowshipwillentitlethebenefactorto namethe fellowship,asappropriate.Ourpolicyis to
publicallysharebenefactornames.However,donor anonymitywillbe respectedifrequested.
As a multidisciplinaryenergyandsciencehub,CESPis preparedto conduct independentanalysis,verification
and/orresearch in supportofcorporaterequirements onacaseby casebasis.Hourlyrates for facultyand
graduateresearchersarevery competitiverelativeto consultingfirms.Consequently,CESP couldprovidea cost-
effective approachformanyprivate sectorand nonprofitorganization(NPO)needs.

3. Page 3 – Mason Center for Energy Science and Policy – March 2016
Center leadership
Ambassador (ret.) Richard D. Kauzlarich, Co-Director
A.A. from Black Hawk College, B.A. from Valparaiso University,and M.A.s from Indiana
University and the University of Michigan. Served as National IntelligenceOfficer for
Europe at the National IntelligenceCouncil,Director of the Special Initiativeon the
MuslimWorld atthe United States Institute of Peace, United States Ambassador to
Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1997-99 and to Azerbaijan in 1994-97,and Senior Deputy to
the Secretary of State’s and the President’s Special Representative to the Newly
Independent States (NIS) in 1993-94.He is a co-author of “Aid DuringConflict:
Interaction Between Military and Civilian Assistance Providers in Afghanistan,
September 2001-June 2002,” published by RAND in 2004.
Professor Paul R. Houser, Co-Director
B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Hydrology and Water Resources from the University of
Arizona. Served as Chief of the NASA-GSFC Hydrological Sciences Lab,manager of
NASA’s Terrestrial Hydrology Program,Science Advisor for the Bureau of Reclamation,
and Director of Hydromoetorology at Geovesi. Scientific contributions includethe Land
Data Assimilation System (LDAS), the Hydrospheric States Mission (Hydros/SMAP),the
Land Information System (LIS), the NASA Energy and Water cycleStudy (NEWS), and
the Water Cycle Solutions Network (WaterNet). As co-director Dr. Houser’s research
focuses on integratingenergy and water research across traditional disciplines that
transitions research to education and application.
Dr. Jennifer Sklarew, Senior Fellow (Energy Policy)
Ph.D. in public policy fromGeorge Mason University,M.A. in Japan studies and
international economics fromJohns Hopkins,B.A. in English from the University of
Pennsylvania.Served as an international tradespecialistin the U.S. Department of
Commerce, A Mike Mansfield Fellowat Japan’s Ministry of Economy, and as a policy
analystfor the Japan Nuclear CycleDevelopment Institute. Buildingon her 20 years of
energy policy experience, Dr. Sklarew has focused her research on how institutional
changes and external shocks driveenergy policymakingand change.
Joel Hicks, Graduate Research Assistant
M.S. Electrical Engineering,Naval PostgraduateSchool,M.A. National Security and
Strategic Studies, Naval War College,M.A. International Scienceand Technology Policy,
The George Washington University,B.S. Electrical Engineering,The George
Washington University.Served as a U.S. Naval Officer in the nuclear submarine
community as well as completingmultipleassignments in DoD spacesystems
engineering and operational areas.Mr.Hicks research interests arein domestic and
international energy-related issues,includingthescienceof and adaptation to global
climatechange and environmental behavior.